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A Study of the Gospels. Life of Christ. Luke’s purpose for writing a gospel. Section 1. 1. 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accom-plished among us ….
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A Study of the Gospels Life of Christ
Luke’s purpose for writing a gospel Section 1
1 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accom-plished among us … • Many written accounts of the life & teachings of Jesus were circulating at the time of Luke’s writing.
2 1:2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 1:3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, … • Luke scientifically investigated the written and oral (eye-witness) traditions carefully. • Luke was not an eyewitness of the events of Christ’s life.
What is a gospel? 3 • Gospel comes from the Greek wordeuvaggeli,a (eu-angelia) • euv = good • aggeli,a = news, message • Each of the ‘gospels’ — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — is a message of good news.
Authorship of the Gospels 4 • There are no originals left. • Traditional authorship is accepted because • No evidence to the contrary • All the church fathers accepted them • It is reasonable (e.g., we do not have originals for Homer, Plato, Aristotle, etc., but we accept their authorship.)
The Synoptic Gospels 5 • The three synoptic gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke • Greek sunoptiko,j = sun-optikos • sun = with • optikoj = to see • Definition: seeing the whole together, taking a comprehensive view
Shared material in Synoptics 5 Shared Unique Matthew 58% 42% Mark 93% 7% Luke 41% 59% John 8% 92%
Themes of the Gospels • None of the Gospels are purely biographical (intending to trace the life of a person from beginning to end). All are thematic treatises.
Matthew: Jesus, the King of the Jews • Promised Messiah, King of the Jews – see his credentials • Genealogy beginning with Abraham (Jew) through David (King) • Uses ‘kingdom’ 56x; ‘kingdom of heaven’ 32x; ‘son of David’ 10x • Devotes more space than any other gospel to the words of Christ – His teaching. • Perhaps an example of proving Jesus is Messiah from OT. 50+ direct quotations from the OT
Mark: Jesus, the Servant of God • Focuses on Jesus’ service–a man of action • no mention of the birth account • ‘immediately’ occurs 41x • Appears to be written to Gentile audience, traditionally regarded as written to the Romans. • Clement of Alexandria in Eusebius affirms • Translation of Aramaic expressions (5:41, 7:3-4) • Explanations of Jewish customs (7:3-4) • Key verse: Mark 10:45 “For even the son of man came not to be served, but to be served.”
Luke: Jesus, the Son of Man • Focuses on the humanity of Jesus • It is from Luke that we learn of Jesus’s hunger, tiredness, thirst, and so on • Purpose of Luke: so that Theophilus might know for certain the things he had heard
John: Jesus, the Son of God • John focuses on the deity of Jesus
Origin of the Synoptics Two Document Theory (Incorrect View) • Proponents • Liberals (Bible not-inspired, new birth not necessary) • Evangelicals • Conservative = Bible inspired, new birth necessary • Liberal = Bible not inspired; new birth necessary
Two Document Theory con’t 2. Content of View a. Mark was written first; Matt. & Luke borrowed from Mark. • 661 verses in Mark • 606 occur in some form in Matthew • 380 occur in some form in Luke • Only 30 unique Markan verses
Two Document Theory con’t b. Matthew & Luke get the rest of their material from an unknown source (Q) • Q = quelle; German word for ‘source’ 3. Problems with this View Matthew was an eye-witness of most of what his gospel records. Why would he need to copy Mark?
Origin of the Synoptics Independent Authorship View • Sources for the Synoptics • Matthew: wrote based on eye-witness experiences; material from prior to conversion taken from oral or written records • Mark: received material from Peter according to Papias • Luke: research written and oral sources
Independent Authorship con’t 2. Theological basis for this viewJesus promised the Holy Spirit would bring all things to their remembrance John 12:16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.
Independent Authorship con’t John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
Order of Composition • Augustine (c. AD 400) • First to express an opinion on the literary order of the Synoptics • Matthew Mark Luke • Augustine did not postulate interdependence in authorship; merely awareness